Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday ruled out going for early elections to the state legislative assembly, thereby putting an end to speculation.
There were reports in some sections of the media that the Chief Minister might call for early elections in the state, at least five to six months ahead of the scheduled date in December, in the event of Kavitha's arrest by the ED in the Delhi liquor scam.
Even the party leaders discussed the possibility of KCR holding early elections to the state assembly. The talk surfaced when he suddenly called for holding an emergency meeting of the party general body meeting at Telangana Bhavan on Friday.
They suspected that KCR might make an announcement on early elections in the state to gain an advantage over the BJP. He also called for the party to take up a statewide agitation in the event of Kavitha's arrest.
But the BRS surprised everyone by declaring that the state would go for polls as scheduled.
"There is no question of going for early elections in Telangana. The elections will be held as per schedule in December," he said.
He called upon the party leaders to work out strategies accordingly. He asked them to hold constituency-wise meetings to take the government's programmes to the people. He added that, if necessary, party leaders could even take up a padayatra.
Interestingly, KCR predicted the arrest of his daughter Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
"She might be arrested after questioning. We shall see what will happen. Let them arrest her if they want, but it will not demoralise us," KCR said.
He said that the BJP government at the Centre had been systematically targeting BRS leaders. The Chief Minister said that the central agencies had started with party ministers and MPs and were now targeting his daughter.
"There is no question of yielding to the pressure tactics of the Centre. We shall continue our fight till we pull down the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre," KCR said.